Why didn't people vote in the Linux Australia elections?

David M Williams
Tuesday, 27 January 2009 18:52

Opinion and Analysis

Draper said my story attempted to “undermine the organisation.” Well, perhaps in a sense I could see her point; after all, I had asked if the President could genuinely claim to represent the entire Australian Linux community.

However, while I mused that point she blew me away with the claim I had asserted “that Stewart [the President] is incompetent.” I find it very hard to understand how anything I had said could even remotely be construed as making any such negative judgement on the President's capabilities!

As we traded e-mails back and forth into the late night Draper told me how much she detested iTWire, how she felt it wrong of me to speak down about Windows Vista (where I quoted former Linux Australia President, Pia Waugh), and how ignorant I sounded when I factually reported the Linux Foundation were making their own Linux ad (because Novell did one years ago; quick, someone tell the Linux Foundation to cancel their competition!)

Now, this isn't “pick on Melissa Draper day.” Although, let's be fair; there's no reason it should be “we hate David M. Williams day.”

Draper has done great things; that's undoubtedly why she was elected to the committee. She's successfully organised sessions and spoken on the topic of women in computing (or, more specifically, "geek chicks.")

Yet, I can't help but feel disappointment at reasoning which concludes “Oh! This article is not 100% positive. THEREFORE it MUST be 200% negative” and “THEREFORE the author is a dumbass.”

Ok, she didn't use those words; she was far more articulate. In fact, she lost me when she said my question failed to take into account the metaphysical subcontext of the deep-rooted philosophical question underpinning why man sought to vote in the first place and what societal and influential factors might inspire people to good – but to receive a battering from the Linux camp was a new one on me!

In the past, I've been cited on Linux.Conf.Au's news page , I supported Software Freedom Day, advocated people join their local Linux user group and even wrote a story on Linux use in high schools around the world – which Linux Australia asked if they could reproduce and distribute at an education conference.

But hey, let's look on the bright side: one thing is definite. There's sure going to be some feisty committee meetings going on this year, at least from one corner of the table! Good luck to all!

And as for me, I'm pretty satisfied with the argument that voter turnout is low not because of apathy or lack of members but because this is common to volunteer organisations of all shapes and sizes and because, plainly and simply, members are pretty content with how things are running.

And for such high levels of contentment the President, as the returning incumbent, can certainly take credit. Which proves he's well and truly competent!